Subassembly for electrical heaters



July 4, 1933. F. KUHN El AL V 1 SUBASSEMBLY FOR ELECTRICAL HEATERS Filed March 18, 192.9

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented July 1933' UNITED STATES} PATENT", OFFICE rnANx 1mm: AND .LAURENCEH. TnoMAs, or nE norT, MIC IGAN, ASSIGNORS To AMEmcA-N ELECTRICAL HEATER COMPANY, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORA- TION OE MIGHIGAN sunAssEMBInr 1 0R. ELEcTRIcAL- HEATERS Application filed arch 1a, 1929. Serial No. 348,063.

This invention relates to electric heaters and more particularly to thermostatically controlled electricirons.

One of the primary objectsof this invention is to facilitate the assembly of heaters of the foregoingtype by reducing the number of separable parts thereof to a minimum.

The invention contemplates accomplishing the foregoing result by providing a subassembly for heaters wherein the heating element, thermostat and terminal supporting brackets form a unitary construction and -as a consequence may be readily assembled with -or detached from the heater as a unit.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken 011 the line 4-4 of Figure 2, and I r Figure 5 is an end elevation ofthe construction shown in Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawing, it. will be noted that there is illustrated therein an ele'c tric iron 10 having a heat distributing base plate 11, ,a heating element 12 seated upon the base 11, a pressure plate 13 and a hood 14, provided with the conventional handle. (Not shown.) For holding the base plate 10, heating element 12 and pressure plate 13 in assembled position, we provide a series of bolts 16 having the head portions thereof bearing upon the top surface of the pressure plate and the shank portions thereof extending through apertures formed in the pressure plate and threaded into the base plate 11, The hood 14 is referably held in proper assembled position y a single stud element 17 threaded into the pressure plate 13 and pro ecting upwardly therefrom through an opening 18 in the top of the hood for receiving the clamping nut 19.

As'shown particularly in Figure 2 of the drawing the heating unit is completely encent the slot is a bracket assembly 22. This assembly comprises a supporting member 23 having an upwardly extending portion 24 electrically connected to the heating element by means ofa conductor 25 extending from the heating elementand secured to the upwardly extending portion 24 by means of a fastening element 26. The upwardly extending portion 24 of the supporting member 23 terminates in a laterally projecting flange 27 forming a support for the base 28 of a terminal contact carrying lug 29. As shown in Figure 4 of the drawing the base 28 is insulated from metallic contact withthe flange 27 by means of a suitable insulating strip- 30 and is secured to the flange 27 by a suitable fastening element 31 which is also insulated from metallic contact with the flange 27 by means of the mica Washer 32. The upper portion of the lug 29 is preferably provided with side' flanges 33 embracing opposite sides of the terminal contact 34 so as to prevent the same from movement relative to the lug 29. The-terminal contact 34 is detachably secured to the lug by means of a screw 35.

The cooperating terminal contact element 36 is detachably secured to a lug 37 having a base portion 38 secured to the heating element 12 adjacent the bracket assembly 22 upon the opposite side of the slot'21. The contact element 36 is electrically connected to the heating element 12 bymeans of a suitable conductor 39 extending from the heating element and secured to the lug 37.

For controlling the temperature of the iron a suitable thermostatic switch 40 isprovided terminal contact elements 43 and 43, 'electrically connected to the strips 42 and adapted to extend through the slot 21 adjacent the bracket assembly 22. Threadedly mounted upon the forward end of the thermostat cas ing adjacent the freeends ofthethermostatm strips is a suitable adjusting element 44.

The latter preferably extends upwardly from conductors 46 and 47 are provided. The con' ductor 46 is secured to the-supportmg mem her and electrically-connected to the heating element by the fastening element 26 and is detachably secured to the thermostatic switch terminal 43 by means. of a screw 48.

ing element, operates to support The conductor'47 on the other hand is pref erably secured to the lug 29 and electrically connected to the terminal contact 34 by means of the fastening element 31 which alsofunctions to secure the bracket in assembled position. The free end of the conductor 47 is detachably secured to the thermostatic terminal 43"by means of a screw 49. Thus it will be apparent that the thermostatic switch may be readily detachedfrom the heating element and iron as a unit by merely removing the screws 48 and 49. It will also be noted that byreason of the fact that theconductors46 and 47 are the only means utilized for connecting the thermostat to the heating unit or to-the iron, the forward end of the thermostat will be capable of slight angular movements relative to the remaining parts of the iron. This is impo tant as it permits the adjusting element to al gn itself readily with the'control member 45 during assembly of the iron and prevents binding of the element during adjustment of the same.

Thus from the foregoing it will be noted e-"have provided a compact and duron assembly wherein the heating unit, termlnal contact elements and thermostatic switch form a sub-assembly that maybe readily detached from. or assembled withthe iron as a unit. lit will further be noted that we have provided a bracket assembly, which in addition to supporting and electrically connecting the thermostatic switch'to the heatone of the terminal contact elements.

What we claim as our invention is: 1. A sub-assembly for electrical heaters including, a heating element having an elongated slottherein, a thermostatic switch arranged beneath the slot and having contact elements extending therethrough, and a bracket secured to said heating element adj a cent to said slot and electrically connected to said contact elements whereby the thermo stat, heating element and bracket form a 11111- tary construction.

2. A sub-assembly for electrical heaters including, a heating element having an elongated slot therein, a thermostatic switch arranged beneath the slot and having contact assembly secured to said heating element adjacent to said slot, said bracket assembly comprising a plurality of superimposed parts insulated'from each other, one of said parts adapted to support a terminal contact element and another of said parts having an electrical connection with the heating element, and means for connecting the thermostatic switch to the heating element-including electrical conductors extending from the thermostatic switch contact elements, and secured to the bracket, one of said conductors being connected to the terminal contact element and the other of said conductors being connected to the electrical connection between the bracket and heating element.

4. A sub-assembly for electrical heaters in-' cluding, a heating element, a thermostatic switch arranged to one side of the heating element and having contact elements extending through the heatingelement, and a bracket carried bysaid heating element and electrically connected to said contact elements whereby the thermostat, heating element and bracket form a unitary construction. it

5. A sub-assembly for electrical heaters in-- cluding, a heating element, a thermostatic switch arranged to one side of the heating element and having contact elements extending through the heatingelement, and a bracket carried by the heating element formed of complementary parts insulated from each other, means connecting one of the contact elements aforesaid with one of said parts, and

means connecting the other of said contactelements with the other of said parts.

6. A sub-assembly for'electrical heaters ineluding, a heating element, a thermostatic switch, a bracket rigidly secured to the heating element and formed of complementary parts insulated from each other, means consaid bracket by the securing means aforesaid whereby said bracket, heating element and thermostat form a unitary construction.

8. A sub-assembly for electrical heaters includin a heating element, a thermostat for contro ling the operation of the heating ele- Vment, a bracket carried by the heating element formed of complementary parts, means forsecuring said parts together and insulating' the same from each other, contact mem- 7 bers carried by said thermostat and secured respectively to said parts, and a terminal contact member secured to one of said parts.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

- FRANK KUHN.

LAURENCE H. THOMAS. 

